Fascia structure

ABSTRACT

A fascia structure for attachment about the roof of a flat roofed building. A support is attached to the building and a fascia element is coupled to the support so that the support and the element define a duct permitting ventilation air to flow to and from openings in the support in registration with roof insulation. Layers of weatherproof material are attached to the support by nailing through the layers into a forward face of a wood strip forming part of the support.

United States Patent 1 Minialoff et al.

[ Oct. 23, 1973 FASCIA STRUCTURE Inventors: Edward P. Minialotf, 3703Beechollow Cres., Mississauga, Ontario; Joseph M.. Minialoff, 5Winterbourne Cres., lslington, Ontario, both of Canada [22] Filed: Apr.16, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 134,722

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Feb. 17, 1971 Canada 105,585

[52] U.S. Cl. 52/95, 52/58, 52/199 [51] Int. Cl. E04d 3/38, 1504b 1/70[58] Field of Search 52/94, 95, 62, 58,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,585,766 6/1971 Jamieson52/94 X 3,012,376 12/1961 Reddy 52/62 X.

2,192,458 3/1940 Swenson et al. 52/62 3,365,847 1/1968 .losek 3,024,5733/1962 McKinley.....

1,931,066 10/1933 Eckert 3,571,992 3/1971 Comiskey 52/94 FOREIGN PATENTSOR APPLICATIONS 1,080,023 8/1967 Great Britain 52/95 PrimaryExaminer-Alfred C. Perham Attorney-Rogers, Bereskin & Parr 57 ABSTRACT Afascia structure for attachment about the roof of a flat roofedbuilding. A support is attached to the building and a fascia element iscoupled to the support so that the support and the element define a ductpermitting ventilation air to flow to and from openings in the supportin registration with roof insulation. Layers of weatherproof materialare attached to the support by nailing through the layers into a forwardface of a wood strip forming part of the support.

4 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures iPate-nted Oct. 23,1973 3,766,694

INVENTORS 8 EDWARD R MINIALOFF 76 J QSEPH M.MINIALOFF' FASCIA STRUCTUREThis invention relates to a fascia structure for use on buildings havingflat roofs.

Fascia structures are used to protect the edge of a flat roofed buildingand to provide a lip around the roof to contain rain water. During arain storm the sewers in a city are often overloaded by sudden increasesin water running off roofs, sidewalks and the like. Fascia structuresare now built to darn water on roofs and roof drains are provided whichare capable of controlling the rate of flow of water off the roof. Thedrains therefore limit the quantity of water which the sewers musthandle during the storm and then permit the dammed water to flow off theroofs after the rain has stopped.

Fascia structures should contain storm water and be unaffected if thewater on the roof flows over the fascia structure and down the wall ofthe building. Further, because of wind effects, the fascia structureshould prevent water creeping upwardly behind the fascia and underlayers of weather-proof material on the roof. As a result of theseconsiderations, it is desirable to provide a fascia structure which isattached to the roof in such a manner that it does not include nails,screws and the like which puncture, or in any other manner damage theweather-proof materials on the roof. i

There are several fascia structures available of different types. One ofthe types has a metallic strip which can be screwed through a flashingand into a wood cant strip. The screws hold the metal strip tightlyagainst the flashing and a fascia element is hooked over the top of themetal strip to further weather proof and improve the appearance of thestructure. While this type is commonly water tight when first assembled,there is a tendency for it to loosen due to temperature fluctuations andalso due to the flashing deteriorating with age. As a result, waterseeps under the metal strip and then through the screw holes and underthe flashing.

A second type of fascia structure which is presently available includesscrews or nails which pass through upper portions of the structure.While this structure is satisfactory for low water levels, should thewater flow over the fascia structure and down the outer wall of thebuilding, there will be a tendency for the water to seep through thescrew holes and under the felt layers.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide afascia structure for a roof and which eliminates the use of nails orscrews in areas where water seepage would be detrimental to the roof.

Present fascia structures also tend to be difficult to assemble on abuilding. In some instances it is essential to have proper alignment ofthe fascia structure on the edge of a roof to ensure good sealing.Should misalignment take place there is a tendency for water to seepunder the fascia structure and into the building roof.

Accordingly, it is a further object of the present invention to providea fascia structure which is readily assembled and wherein the watersealing properties of the structure are such that accuracy of assemblyis less critical than with prior art fascia structures.

Many roofs nowadays are prepared with a layer of foamed plasticinsulation or the like on which weatherproof felt layers are applied.Because of temperature and moisture variations there is a tendency formoist air to penetrate the insulation thereby affecting its performance.Also, upon heating, the trapped moist air ex pands and causes ripples inthe felt layers. An attempt has been made to overcome this by providingthe insulation in boards which are lap jointed one to another such thata passage exists between the boards. Vent stacks are provided at theintersection of the boards to allow air to enter and leave theinsulation. Movement of air is however minimal because the air mustenter downwardly through the stack and leave upwardly. It would bebetter if the air could move more freely.

Accordingly, it is yet another object of the present invention toprovide a fascia structure having means for combining with vent stacksto permit air to enter or leave an adjacent insulation layer therebyproviding a more positive air circulation through the insulation layer.

Once assembled, fascia structures often suffer from wind forces whichtend to break the structure and force water upwardly on the outerbuilding wall. The water then finds a way behind the structure. Upwardmovement of water is a particular problem in very large buildings whereup-draughts are commonly found having relatively high velocities andpressures.

Accordingly, it is still a further object of the present invention, toprovide a fascia structure incorporating a sealing means to'limit theeffect of windup-draughts which tend to force the fascia structure offthe building and send water behind the structure.

These and other objects of the invention will be better understood withreference to the drawings, wherein: FIG. 1 is a perspective sectionalview of a fascia structure according to the invention and assembled on abuilding; and I FIG. 2 isa sectional sideview of an alternativeembodiment of the fascia structure.

Reference is first made to FIG. 1 in which a fascia structure comprisesa support 12 attached to the top of a building wall 14 at the edge of aroof 16. The support 12 has a wood strip 18 to'which are nailed feltlayers 20 which terminate adjacent a lower outer edge of the wood strip18. A fascia'element 22 covers the layers and extends downwardly andover the wall 14 terminating at a conventional protective layer 24 ofgravel held together by a bonding agent such as asphalt. An insulationlayer 25 extends outwardly from above roof 16 and supports both a cantstrip 26 adjacent the support 12 and the layers 20. Support 12 isattached to an anchor assembly 27 set in the wall 14.

Support 12 includes an attachment section 28 having' a horizontal part30 and an upright part 32 extending upwardly from an outer edge of thepart 30. Part 32 is welded to an upright portion 34 of a forward section36. The section 36 also has a top 38 extending forwardly from an upperextremity of the portion 34 and a bottom 40 extending outwardly from alower extremity of the section 34. Bottom 40 terminates in a downwardlyextending lip 42 which engages in a channel 44 in fascia element 22 aswill be described. The wood strip 18 is attached by screws 46 passingoutwardly through portion 34 and positioned so that the wood strip isengaged against the underside of the top 38.

The support 12 may be attached to the wall 14 in any conventional mannersuch as by the anchor assembly 27 which consists of spikes 48 set in thewall and welded to a plate 50 extending along the wall. Part 30 is spotwelded to the plate 50. The rear face of the portion 34 is assembledclear of the wall 14 to accommodate a weather strip 52 which isconveniently selfadhesive on the rearward facing side of the portion 34.

3 During assembly the strip 52 is applied tightly against the wall 14 toseal the Clearance.

Fascia element 22 consists of a front 54, cover portion 56, and back 58,and rearwardly extending skirt 60. The front 54 and the back 58 aregenerally parallel and spaced sufficiently apart to contain an upwardpart of the portion 34, the several thicknesses of felt 20, and the woodstrip 18. The front 54 and back 58 are spaced apart such that the fasciaelement is a close fit when in place to reduce the risk of wind causingrattling and other detrimental effects.

The front 54 of fascia element 22 terminates at an upwardly extendingportion 62 which together with the front 54 defines the channel 44. Atthe other extremity of the fascia element 22, the skirt 60 includes anupright portion 64 and a forwardly extending end portion 66 angled toengage in face-to-face relation with an outermost one of the felt layers20. The skirt 60 is preferably formed such that when assembled, the endportion 66 is biased downwardly into engagement with the layers 20. Theupright portion 64 is proportioned to act as a stop for the protectivelayer 24 and also to indicate the thickness of the layer to aid inensuring a uniform layer thickness over the felt layers 20.

The insulation layer25 consists of boards 67 meeting at lap joints 69and defining ventilation channels 71. Vent stacks (not shown) arecommonly provided at w some of the intersections of the boards toconnect with the channels 71 for ventilating the insulation layer 25. Inthe present invention, respective holes 73, 75 are provided at intervalsalong the support portion 34 and support part 32 to permit air to enterand leave the channels 71 with fluctuations in roof temperature.Preferably, vent stacks are also provided so that air has an easier pathinto and out of the insulation layer.

To assemble the fascia structure 10, the anchor assembly 27 is firstbuilt into the wall 14 in preparation for the addition of the structure10. Next, the support 12 is spot welded to the anchor assembly plate 50with the weather strip 52 engaged tightly against wall 14. Theinsulation layer 25 is then placed on the roof 16 leaving clearancebetween the layer 25 and the part 32 for air movement through holes 73and into channels 71. Next the cant strip 26 is engaged on theinsulation in abutment against the rearward facing side of the supportpart 32. The felt layers 20 are then placed one by one on the roofinsulation 25 and run up cant strip 26 and over the top 38 of thesupport 12. The length of the felt layers 20 is not critical providedthat sufficient length is available to permit nails 68 to be passedthrough the layers and into the wood strips 18. Because of thedifficulty of cutting the layers 20 accurately it may be preferable tosever them below the wood strip 18 and allow a part of the layers tohang between the upright portion 34 of the support 12 and the front 54of the fascia element 22. After the layers have been nailed to the woodstrip 18, the fascia element 22 is added. To this end, gaps 70 areprovided in the lip 42 so that the element 22 can be added by firstpositioning the skirt 60 with the front 54 hanging downwardly and theupwardly extending portion 62 forwardly of the lip 42. An end of theportion 62 is engaged through the gap 70 and the whole element is movedalong the construction to feed the portion 62 behind the lip 42. Thefascia element 22 is then moved until it abuts with the previouslyassembled element and positioned so that gaps 70 do not occur at ends ofthe fascia elements.

Finally the protective layer 24 is added. Once the fas cia structure isassembled, air is free to move in a duct 72 formed between the support12 and fascia element 22, and through holes 73, 75 as previouslyexplained.

Should water build up over the protective layer 24, it will be dammed bythe fascia structure. If water should seep under the skirt 60 or anyother part of the fascia element, it will reach the layers 20 and willtherefore be prevented from passing down to the insulation 25. The onlypunctures in the layers 20 occur outwardly of the wood strip 18 so thatin the unlikely event that water would seep through holes created by thenails 68, the water would tend downwardly inside the duct 72 where itwould be drained off without creating damage to the roof structure.

Reference is next made to FIG. 2 which shows an alternative structure inwhich parts similar to those previously described are given primednumerals. In this embodiment the felt layers 20' terminate adjacent theupper extremity of cant strip 26' and a flexible flashing 74 of butylrubber and the like extends from under protective layer 24, upwardlyabove the cant strip 26' in contact with the layers 20 and then over thetop 38' of the support 12'. Nails 68' are then used to attach theflashing 74 to the wood strip 18'. The skirt 60 (FIG. 1) can be omittedbecause the flexible flashing 74 is sufficient protection for the outerparts of the layers 20' where they extend over the cant strip 26. As aresult, fascia element 22' terminates at a lower edge of back 58adjacent ends of the felt layers 20'.

This embodiment also differs from the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 in thatthe anchor assembly 27 shown in FIG. 1 has been replaced by a wood strip76 set in the wall 14'. Screws 78 extend downwardly through part 30' ofsupport 12. and engage in the strip 76 to hold the support 12' in placeon the wall. However, because of the possibility of the wood strip 76twisting or warping while it is in position in the wall, it ispreferable to use the anchor assembly 27 shown in FIG. 1.

The building described was exemplary and can be varied. The fasciastructures shown require a generally horizontal surface for attachmentof the support 12 and a generally vertical surface against which theweather strip 52 bears. Any building having these surfaces can usefascia sections according to the invention.

What we claim as our invention is:

l. A fascia structure for attachment to a building of a type having aroof extending inwardly from an outer wall, the roof and the walldefining generally horizontal and vertical surfaces, a layer ofinsulation on said horizontal surface having an outer end adjacent saidvertical surface, layers of weatherproof material extending above saidinsulation layer, and attachment means for connecting said fasciastructure to said horizontal surface, the fascia structure comprising:

a support comprising: a horizontal part adapted to extend above saidhorizontal surface adjacent said vertical surface for combining withsaid attachment means to connect said fascia structure to said building;an upright portion coupled to said horizontal part; a top extendingforwardly from an upper extremity of said upright portion; a woodattachment strip defining a forward face and extending generallylongitudinally of said support; said attachment strip positioned inengagement with the underside of said top and means attaching saidattachment strip to said upright portion adjacent an upper edge of theupright portion, said attachment strip being adapted to receive nails,screws and the like for attaching said weatherproof material to saidattachment strip, the weatherproof material being wrapped over the saidupright portion upper edge and over the attachment strip, andterminating at said forward face;

said upright portion defining ventilation holes for horizontal alignmentwith said outer end of the insulation layer;

a fascia element adapted to be releasably coupled to said support andincluding: a cover portion for extending over the weatherproof materialabove the strip means; a back for extending downwardly from the coverportion and overlying a portion of the weatherproof material adjacentsaid upright portion upper edge; and a front extending downwardly fromthe cover portion; and

the support and the fascia element combining to define coupling means atthe respective bottom ends thereof to attach the fascia element to thesupport, the fascia element front being spaced from the support uprightportion to define a duct in communication with the ventilation openingsfor permitting movement of air to and from the ventilation openmgs.

comprising a cant strip positionable on said horizontal surface adjacentsaid upright portion, for receiving layers of weatherproof materialon aninclined surface of said cant strip, and in which said upright portionextends upwardly above said cant strip.

3. A fascia structure as claimed in claim 2 in which said uprightportion extends downwardly below said horizontal part and in which saidattachment means comprises: a bottom extending outwardly from a lowerextremity of the upright portion of the support; a lip extendingdownwardly from a forward extremity of the bottom; an upwardly extendingportion projecting from a lower extremity of the front of the fasciaelement, the front and the upwardly extending portion together defininga channel behind the front for receiving said lip to engage said fasciaelement on said support.

4. A fascia structure as claimed in claim 3 in which said fascia elementfurther comprises a skirt extending downwardly and rearwardly from alower extremity of the back, thecover portion, front, backand skirtbeing proportioned to protectthe-layers of weatherproof materialon thecant strip, upright portion, top, and said forward face. i v

1. A fascia structure for attachment to a building of a type having a roof extending inwardly from an outer wall, the roof and the wall defining generally horizontal and vertical surfaces, a layer of insulation on said horizontal surface having an outer end adjacent said vertical surface, layers of weatherproof material extending above said insulation layer, and attachment means for connecting said fascia structure to said horizontal surface, the fascia structure comprising: a support comprising: a horizontal part adapted to extend above said horizontal surface adjacent said vertical surface for combining with said attachment means to connect said fascia structure to said building; an upright portion coupled to said horizontal part; a top extending forwardly from an upper extremity of said upright portion; a wood attachment strip defining a forward face and extending generally longitudinally of said support; said attachment strip positioned in engagement with the underside of said top and means attaching said attachment strip to said upright portion adjacent an upper edge of the upright portion, said attachment strip being adapted to receive nails, screws and the like for attaching said weatherproof material to said attachment strip, the weatherproof material being wrapped over the said upright portion upper edge and over the attachment strip, and terminating at said forward face; said upright portion defining ventilation holes for horizontal alignment with said outer end of the insulation layer; a fascia element adapted to be releasably coupled to said support and including: a cOver portion for extending over the weatherproof material above the strip means; a back for extending downwardly from the cover portion and overlying a portion of the weatherproof material adjacent said upright portion upper edge; and a front extending downwardly from the cover portion; and the support and the fascia element combining to define coupling means at the respective bottom ends thereof to attach the fascia element to the support, the fascia element front being spaced from the support upright portion to define a duct in communication with the ventilation openings for permitting movement of air to and from the ventilation openings.
 2. A fascia structure as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising a cant strip positionable on said horizontal surface adjacent said upright portion, for receiving layers of weatherproof material on an inclined surface of said cant strip, and in which said upright portion extends upwardly above said cant strip.
 3. A fascia structure as claimed in claim 2 in which said upright portion extends downwardly below said horizontal part and in which said attachment means comprises: a bottom extending outwardly from a lower extremity of the upright portion of the support; a lip extending downwardly from a forward extremity of the bottom; an upwardly extending portion projecting from a lower extremity of the front of the fascia element, the front and the upwardly extending portion together defining a channel behind the front for receiving said lip to engage said fascia element on said support.
 4. A fascia structure as claimed in claim 3 in which said fascia element further comprises a skirt extending downwardly and rearwardly from a lower extremity of the back, the cover portion, front, back and skirt being proportioned to protect the layers of weatherproof material on the cant strip, upright portion, top, and said forward face. 